While there are many paper clips, clamps, and index tabs known in the prior art, they still suffer several drawbacks when used as a bookmark or the like. A common paper clip formed of bent plastic or metal wire, is typically formed in a single plane and attached to one or more sheets of paper by bending a tongue portion upwardly and inserting the paper between the tongue and the remainder of the clip. Such a clip relies on the resiliency of the plastic or metal to hold the clip to the paper. However, such a clip can easily wrinkle or damage the paper because of the force applied by the tongue on the paper in attempting to return to its original planar condition. Thus, the paper can become slightly folded between the tongue portion and the base portion, thereby damaging the page. Furthermore, the metal-type clips typically have a projecting end which can easily catch and rip the paper when the paper is fully inserted in the clip.
Index tabs utilized in the prior art typically have a pair of adhesive-backed legs which are permanently affixed to an index card or a file, the tab having a transparent portion which allows the insertion of an inscription sheet. While such tabs are easy to utilize in a filing system. they are impossible to use in a situation which requires a removable tab.
Other file tabs which merely clamp onto a piece of paper have the advantage of being removable from the sheet as required by the user. However, such tabs typically utilize a pair of resilient gripping legs which have their lower edges bent towards each other to form a tight grip. Such a tab grips the card firmly but it is very hard to install, adjust, or remove, and may damage the card or paper when removed. Typically, such tabs require that the gripping leg portions be manually separated before it can be attached to a card.
Still other types of clips utilize a clamp-type action which requires squeezing on a portion of the clip about a fulcrum, in order to open the clamp to fasten it on the page. Such clamp devices typically rely on two edges of a jaw in order to grip the paper, and can easily damage the paper.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved removable page marker.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a page marker which may be used to turn single or multiple pages forward or backward.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a page marker which can be attached or removed in a single motion.
Still another object is to provide a marker which will not mark, mar, or damage the item it is attached to.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a page marker with a portion which will hold printed matter.
Yet another object is to provide a page marker which may also be used as an index tab.
These and other objects will be apparent to one skilled in this art.